Inbound passengers go through entry checks. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

Inbound and outbound passenger traffic at Xiamen Port in 2024 has broken through the five-million level to reach a five-year high, marking a nearly 60 percent increase year-on-year.

The continuous release of favorable policies attracted a wave of foreign tourists. To date, China has signed comprehensive visa exemption agreements with 25 countries and unilaterally implemented visa-free policies for 38 countries including France and Germany.

Since the start of the year,  Gaoqiao Border Inspection Station has inspected nearly 400,000 foreign passengers entering the country. The number of foreign arrivals at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport has reportedly been rising, with Malaysia, Singapore, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, and the United States ranking as the top five countries.

The visa-free policies have not only boosted the inbound tourism market but have also propelled numerous countries into a "visa-free era", increasing the enthusiasm of Chinese mainland residents for outbound travel.

This year, Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport opened and that helped increase the overall frequency of flights to Male, Vancouver, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and other destinations. Currently, the airport operates on 26 international regional passenger routes, connecting 19 countries and regions across four continents.

For its part, Xiamen Port features a diverse range of operations, including international air routes, Xiamen-Kinmen routes, and international cruise liner routes. This characteristic has also contributed to the growth of inbound and outbound passenger flows.

In early December, the 2024 winter cruise season at Xiamen International Cruise Home Port concluded, with a total of 43 international cruise ships and over 84,000 inbound and outbound passengers.